Summery days are all about spending as much time outside as possible, so do it in ultimate style and comfort with our guide to the best outdoor furniture ideas for your backyard.
There’s nothing Australians love more than kicking back in the summer, entertaining outdoors, and having alfresco meals on high rotation. But as many of us know, finding the perfect outdoor setting that fits your vision, can stand up to the elements and works within your budget is no easy undertaking.
From luxuriously upholstered outdoor couches to insta-worthy hanging chairs, we’ve searched our favourite gardens, the top furniture brands and toured the best showrooms to bring you Australia’s best outdoor furniture.
From full-fledged outdoor dining settings to versatile seating and a comfy lounge, we’re here with the lowdown on about choosing the perfect outdoor furniture for your backyard, as well as our favourite brands and picks.
It’s that time of year when outdoor areas get a decent workout. Splintery or poorly performing furniture won’t cut it, so treat your friends and family to a luxurious, no-stress sit-down.
(Photography: Maree Homer)The best outdoor furniture brands to shop
Create outdoor zones
The holiday period is peak time for catching up with family. While that can be wonderful, putting related people together means that things can get awkward and stuff may be said. Handle it by splitting the crowd, literally. A trick of the design trade is to set up zones to create moments and opportunities for conversations in your outdoor space, says interiors expert Shannon Vos. This will help inhibit the craziness that can come with hosting a crowd.
Create multiple spaces for a couple of people to connect and converse, and you’ll have an outdoor set-up that invites people in and encourages them to stay (this may or may not be a good thing).
These zones could be anything from a few settings around a pool, a couple of spots to sit on the deck, or even totally separate zones in a bigger backyard.
In the outdoor entertaining zone of this Byron Bay holiday home, a Robert Plumb dining set is the crowning feature.
(Styling: Sarah Ellison | Photography: Jessie Prince)How to style outdoor settings
Just like an indoor furniture arrangement, an outdoor zone needs to flow. People need to move around or through your zones, so it’s important to have the set-out and scale just right.
Far too many times I’ve seen giant outdoor lounges (that homeowners fall in love with) crammed into tiny spaces on decks and in yards and they don’t look good.
Work with the space you have and don’t overdo it. On top of that, your exterior aesthetic should flow and complement your interior one, and your patio, deck or yard should be treated like another indoor room.
Similar colours, textures and shapes should be used to create a sense of cohesiveness.
A successful outdoor kitchen, for example, flows from inside to out with similar (if not the same) benchtops and cabinetry as the indoor kitchen.
Jedd armchairs and a coffee table from MCM house create the ultimate relaxed entertaining zone in the backyard of this Bondi duplex.
(Styling: Sarah Ellison | Photography: Maree Homer)How to look after outdoor furniture
Outdoor materials have come a long way since the brittle plastic furniture our parents owned, but most quality pieces are either made from timber, aluminium or a plastic-based composite.
That said, all these materials need regular upkeep as the harsh Australian weather can play havoc with anything left outside.
Timber will dry out and split in no time; aluminium bubbles and calcifies almost like rust; and plastics can fade quicker than you can say ‘three-year warranty’.
To properly care for and protect your outdoor furniture, you need to wash it regularly – that means a couple of times each year – to get rid of the salt, dust and grime that creates an environment of erosion.
Timbers, particularly tropical timers, look and perform great outdoors, but they will need a lick of oil every so often, so if you are looking at a teak lounge set, buy a brush as well.
A crisp white outdoor dining set complements the coastal aesthetic of this fibro cottage in Avalon.
(Styling: Vanessa Colyer Tay | Photography: Simon Whitbread)How to create an outdoor setting on a budget
As a general rule, if something is cheap, it probably won’t last, especially if it lives outside. But there are a few ways to save on outdoor furniture.
Consider buying individual pieces one at a time, instead of the entire set at once (checking that the style won’t be discontinued anytime soon).
A new table for alfresco dining can look great, but aged chairs will make it look drab, so restore any furniture you’re planning on keeping to maintain that new look aesthetic.
If you’re an upcycler, timber furniture that has seen a few seasons can be brought back to life with a few rolls of sandpaper, some elbow grease and a decent lick of furniture oil.
As well as that, old and tattered fabrics are easily reupholstered with a UV-stable fabric such as Sunbrella or Sunproof. And remember, rustic is the new chic and stumps make great stools, as long as you source them ethically – no National Parks please!
furniture flops
Don’t wallow in regret over the wrong purchases. Here are our top tips to avoid outdoor furniture disasters.
Avoid thin legs on chairs if placing them on grass; they will sink into dirt quicker than a stiletto after a rainy day.
Cover your fabrics and furniture. Or better yet, bring them indoors when not in use. Prolonged exposure to rain and sun quickly ages furniture.
Use timbers designed for the Australian summer. Non-tropical timbers don’t handle humidity well, so get to know your woods.
Black furniture and fabrics will absorb every bit of energy and heat from the sun, resulting in burnt bums and faded fabrics.
The ultimate guide to outdoor furniture
Outdoor dining sets
Bring happy hour, barbecues and dinners outside with statement outdoor dining sets for all budgets. Outdoor furniture doesn’t come cheap, so you want an outdoor dining set that will stand the test of time, that still feels fresh come next summer and the one after that.
Outdoor bench seats
There’s nothing quite like spending time in the great outdoors, and being surrounded by nature is even better when there’s a decent place to sit or recline. Enter the outdoor bench seat; a not-clunky, elegant, and versatile piece of outdoor furniture so adored that lovers carve their names in them, poets daydream on them, and you and your family can sit, eat, prop stuff, and build forts on them. Here are the best outdoor bench seats for your backyard or patio.
Outdoor lounge chairs
Those gorgeous days that drawl into magical alfresco evenings are something special indeed – but it’s the smallest touches that make the biggest difference. Case in point: outdoor lounge chairs. Here’s our round up of comfortable outdoor sofas and outdoor lounge chairs that offer beauty as well as durability.
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Outdoor dining tables
From rounded outdoor dining tables to wooden tables that fit six – or more if you squeeze in – we’ve rounded up the best outdoor dining tables that will lay the foundation for all your outdoor soirees this season.
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Outdoor rugs
An outdoor rug is a stylishly simple accessory that will tie everything together in your outdoor space. Hard wearing and beautiful at once, a rug will also protect bare feet from hot tiles sitting all day in the sun. Plus, they’re the fastest way to cover up a regrettable tile or paver choice, because we’ve all seen those debacles. Choose an outdoor rug that will make your alfresco space cosy in the winter and that withstand whatever weather the year throws at you.
Affordable outdoor furniture
If there’s one thing Australians love more than the extended sunshine itself, it’s alfresco dining. Migrating from the couch and venturing into the great outdoors (well, your backyard) is the best opportunity to spruce up your alfresco living area with some new furniture — and these days the possibilities are actually endless. From market umbrellas to all-weather armchairs, here are some of the latest affordable outdoor furniture buys to inspire your next gathering.
Outdoor furniture sets
We love these Oiside ‘No.12’ wire-frame lounge chairs from Robert Plumb, but there is a vast array of outdoor chairs for all styles and all budgets out there. Here are the best outdoor chairs in Australia right now. Here are the best chairs, tables and outdoor furniture sets to shop in Australia.
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